Does the new OLED MacBook Pro also pave the way for a MacBook Air with an OLED screen?

Apple has traditionally pursued a product strategy heavily focused on maximizing profits. This is also reflected in the clear hierarchy within the current MacBook lineup. While the MacBook Air models are excellent everyday laptops, their displays are deliberately limited. For years, customers have been getting IPS screens with a refresh rate of just 60 Hz, which is simply no longer up to date. 

The reason for this lies in the base model of the MacBook Pro 14: Although it essentially offers the same processor as the MacBook Air, it stands out with a significantly better Mini-LED display running at 120 Hz. If Apple were to launch a MacBook Air with an OLED panel, for example (which would undoubtedly be entirely feasible), the considerably more expensive MacBook Pro 14 would have little reason to exist, and sales would probably plummet. Apple is, of course, not going to pass up that additional revenue. Anyone who wants a better display has no choice but to buy the expensive Pro model. 

However, the brand-new MacBook Pro, which uses OLED for the first time, is now starting to shake things up. For now, the new version is being sold alongside the existing Mini-LED model, but in the medium term we expect only the OLED version to remain, as the technology is simply superior. This would most likely also mean the end of the base version of the MacBook Pro 14, which would in turn create room to finally offer the MacBook Air with an OLED panel, albeit at a higher price. At the lower end of the price range, Apple does, of course, still have the MacBook Neo as its entry-level model, which will likely become more expensive again in the future as well.

However, Apple would probably impose certain limitations on an OLED MacBook Air once again to maintain the gap between it and the Pro models. These would likely mainly affect brightness and color gamut, as the MacBook Air will almost certainly not use tandem OLED. However, Apple might also continue to limit the refresh rate to 60 Hz. This is exactly what is currently happening with the iPad mini, which now also features an OLED screen for the first time: Its refresh rate is limited to 60 Hz, while a 120 Hz OLED panel is available only on the more expensive iPad Pro. Although this strategy is understandable from a purely business perspective, it ultimately results in products being deliberately released with capabilities below what is technically possible.